It's a Lonely Life!

If you know me personally, don't panic and call my mother. I'm not lonely in my real life, nor in my virtual life. My family, friends, gym and cat keep me happy in the real world. My personal and business social media communities keep me happy in the virtual world.

But I am alone in the every day My Bespoke Chair world. Apart from the people who work with me to build the website, print the fabrics and make the chairs, the buck stops with me.

Being a solopreneur is tough and there are times when I sit back from the screen, look around, realise that I've spent the best part of the day clacking away at the keyboard....and for what? For whom? What's the point? Am I a madwoman for starting this impossible journey - building a business with a product, website and ethos that is so unlike my competitors?

Questions:
a) What do I do next and how do I know it's right?
b) Who can I look to for inspiration?
c) Where can I find guidance?
d) Why am I torturing myself by embarking on this journey?

Answers:
a) I recently completed an online business marketing course, lead by an incredible woman called Marie Forleo. She's been sought out by Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey for being the voice of the modern woman in online business. This 8 week course taught me customer targeting, marketing strategies, website optimisation, copywriting and lots of American "yay-go-girl" kookiness. I gained precise insights and strategies, I gained affirmation that much of what I am doing naturally is correct and most vitally, gave me access to a community of women (+ a few men) who are starting out, just like me. It is a life-long membership to her course and supportive community.

b) On Saturday, I was humbled to be part of the TEDx Sydney audience. TED is a global organisation, spreading ideas worth sharing. If you haven't experiences a TED talk, hop onto their site and pick any; they are free online and totally awe-inspiring. I sat for 12 hours at the Sydney Opera House, listening to clever people talk about the Digital Data Black-Hole, Housing for Health, Drugs to Slow Aging Genes, Marketing to the Masses and Nature as a Designer. Plus a fabulous chap who created an entire Jazz Band with his mouth, voice-box and a mike. Inspiring stuff.

c) On Monday, I went to a Pitching Competition, organised by TiE and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. This event showcased entrepreneurs pitching for Venture Capital and a 1st Prize to attend TiECom in Silicon Valley. A bit like Dragons Den without the cool warehouse studio. I was encouraged to hear people pitch their dreams and disruptive business ideas. I felt less alone. And TiE is a global mentoring organisation, linking entrepreneurs with Business Angels. I attended a 2 hour mentoring introduction last month but now I shall join the organisation. Launching and working unguided is daunting, but now I have some of Sydney's best business brains on my side. The start-up industry is burgeoning in Sydney especially and there are opportunities to be explored.

d) Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, explains perfectly why I am compelled to run My Bespoke Chair and Bespoke Art, to use my talents and follow my ambitions. I don't want to be 80 years old and regret not exploring my life's possibilities. But he explains it better! Watch it here.

So I'm not alone in being alone.  I'm just alone in pushing my own boundaries.


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